A ‘traumatised’ elderly farmer has alarmed villagers after putting up a trespassers ‘will be shot’ sign outside his farm after a controversial planning application was thrown out.
Carl Powell, owner of Stone Arrow Farm, has put two controversial signs back up at the entrance to the farm, one warning trespassers that they will be shot (and shot again if they survive) and another calling the village ‘murderous’.
One sign, making a return at the farm entrance, reads: “No trespassing. Violators will be shot. Survivors will be shot again.”
However, Mr Powell, 80, who admits villagers call him ‘the most hated man in Peopleton’, said the sign was obviously a ‘send up’ and suggested villagers who had complained needed to ‘get out more’.
BACK: The controversial ‘nastiest village in Worcestershire’ has returned to Stone Arrow Farm in Peopleton (Image: Newsquest)
A further sign reads: “Welcome to Peopleton, a murderous, godless place, probably, most definitely the nastiest village in Worcestershire.”
Villagers, who declined to be identified, said the signs caused deep concern, especially following a police raid at the farm in the early hours of January 8 when ammunition was found.
(Mr Powell maintains this was old World War Two ammunition.
Tensions have risen again between villagers and Mr Powell after planners rejected his retrospective planning application for a lorry park and to extend the class B8 open storage yard, branded a betrayal by Mr Powell.
However, Mr Powell believes there would be ‘no point’ in appealing as villagers say they hope for a return to normality following the decision by planners at Wychavon District Council.
Mr Powell’s latest action and residents’ concerns have been reported to the police whom we approached for comment.
But Mr Powell was unapologetic about putting the signs back up. He said of the ‘nasty village sign’: “This is a true statement and I won my court case against the police on the grounds of. If telling the truth is now a crime, find me guilty.”
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Mr Powell said of the trespassers’ comment: “Well, how anyone takes this anything but a send up baffles me but then there are some Peopleton residents who do, my suggestion, you should get out more?”
He also defended the sign, saying £100,000 of criminal damage had been caused to the farm and that he had been willing to meet residents to discuss these issues ‘face to face’ but there was no response.